Informed Investors Can Prosper in Africa

Research with Global Opinion Leaders

Strategic Communications

July 21, 2015

An overwhelming majority of opinion leaders surveyed ahead of the 2015 World Economic Forum (WEF) in South Africa are upbeat about the investment prospects for the continent in the near term, even though half continue to view Africa as a risky investment destination.

FTI Consulting’s survey of opinion leaders who attended the WEF in Nigeria in 2014 and are planning to attend the
South Africa conference this year identified East and West Africa as the most promising regions for investors. they see telecommunications and infrastructure projects as likely to be the most valuable investment targets. A majority also expect an increase in M&A activity.

At the same time, both business leaders and African governments have work to do to make the continent more attractive to investors. respondents said businesses need to become more effective communicators and African governments should be more realistic about what investments can achieve.

Opinion leaders take an overwhelmingly upbeat view of the investment prospects for Africa, with 88 percent expressing optimism about the continent’s investment outlook for the next 12 months (Graph 1). Majorities of those surveyed were positive about the prospects for every region of the continent with the exception of north Africa and central Africa, where only 49 percent and 45 percent, respectively, were bullish about investment activity over the next year.